text:
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 18, 2005
President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in Orlando, Florida
Lake Nona YMCA Family Center
Orlando, Florida
MRS. BARBARA BUSH: Good afternoon. (Applause.) I think the thing George and I are asked most about these days, especially by parents of young children, is how you raise a President of the United States. (Laughter.) Now that George W. is in his fifth year as President, you'd think I'd know the answer, wouldn't you? (Laughter.) But truthfully, I do not. There are no great secrets.
Forty to forty-five years ago, when my world was nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Little League games and Brownies, I just, frankly, hoped he'd grow up. (Laughter.) Well, he could have been like the little boy who was sent to bed by his mother, and a few minutes later he called her and said, "Mom, I'm thirsty. Can you bring me a glass of water?" She said, "No, you had your chance, you just turn out your light." Well, five minutes later, she hears, "Mom!" "What," cried the exhausted mother. "I'm thirsty, can you please bring me some water?" "I told you no, and I told you -- now, if you ask one more time I'm going to come up and spank you." Well, five minutes later, the little boy called, "Mom?" "What," she said. He said, "When you come up to spank me, would you bring me a glass of water?" (Laughter and applause.)
So, now you can see where the President's tenaciousness comes from -- which people also seem to admire so much. It's what you want in a President; it's not what you want in a six-year-old. (Laughter.) So it is with great pleasure that I introduce our son, the President of the United States, the very tenacious President of the United States. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. Thanks for coming. Please be seated. (Applause.) Thanks for being here. Go ahead and be seated. Now. (Laughter.) Thanks for the warm welcome. It's great to be back in central Florida. Thank you all for taking time out of your day to come by and let me discuss with you some important topics.
But before I do, I'm proud to be introduced by one of my favorite seniors -- (laughter) -- okay, my favorite mother. (Laughter.) She is -- I told them earlier in Pensacola, if you're trying to figure me, like the woman who walked up to me when I was campaigning for governor of Texas, she said, "You got your daddy's eyes, but your mother's mouth." (Laughter.) Which is a compliment. (Laughter.)
Earlier today we were with the great Governor of the state of Florida. (Applause.) We're both proud of him. More importantly, we both love him dearly. He is a great man, and I'm proud of the job he's doing for Florida. I know you are, as well. (Applause.) I said, "Mother, we're going to be talking about Social Security." She said, "Fine. Don't tell anybody my age." (Laughter.) I said, "I won't, but can I tell them you were at least born before 1950, so you don't have anything to worry about when it comes to getting your check?" She said, "Fine." (Applause.)
Mother and I just came from the Life Project Senior Development Center in Orlando, Florida. I went there to look at some -- tell some seniors that I wanted them to know with certainty that nothing will change when it comes to their Social Security check, that they will get the check that the government has promised. (Applause.) And that's important for them to hear. Because I understand a lot of people rely on a Social Security check. Right there is one. (Laughter.) I don't know if "Amen" was the proper response, but nevertheless. (Laughter.) "Yo" is better -- yes. (Laughter.)
A fellow walked up to me -- I'm finding this to be the case in a lot of my travels -- he said, "I'm glad I'm going to get my check. What about my grandchildren?" And that's what I want to talk to the people -- to you today about, making sure the seniors' grandchildren and their great grandchildren have the same safety net that today's seniors receive from the Social Security system.
Before I do, first I -- Laura sends her best. (Applause.)
Up until this very day, I have always said that Laura Bush was the nation's greatest First Lady. (Applause.) And then I had to modify my position. (Laughter.) Would you go for a tie? (Laughter and applause.)
I'm traveling from Washington to Florida with some fine members of the United States Congress from the great state of Florida. Florida Senator Mel Martinez is with us today. (Applause.) The Congressman from this district, Congressman Tom Feeney, is with us today. (Applause.) Congressman Ric Keller is with us today. (Applause.) Can I tell them? Yes, I'll tell them. Keller has got an interesting way about him in this way, he's getting married tomorrow. Isn't that great? (Applause.) Yet he's spending the day with me. (Laughter.) So he's marrying a patient person. (Laughter.) But I wish Ric all the best.
Congressman Adam Putnam is with us today. (Applause.) And finally, Congressman Dave Weldon is with us today. I appreciate you coming, Dave. (Applause.)
Mayor Rich Crotty is with us. You might remember the Mayor -- wait a minute, you might remember the Mayor, Tyler's father. (Laughter and applause.) I said to Crotty, "Where's Tyler?" You're not going to believe this: He's in Washington, D.C. today. (Laughter.) One way to avoid a speech is to get out of town. (Laughter.)
I appreciate the Y for letting us come by. Jim Ferber, I'm honored that you let us come by and use your facility. I'll tell you something interesting that takes place here, which I didn't realize until I got here, was that this is more than just a Y -- than the Y that I used to think about. This is an education center. (Applause.) How about this idea for people: The YMCA partners with and houses Northlake Park Elementary School. Pretty interesting concept, isn't it? (Applause.) It seems like to me it would be a wise use of assets -- make sure taxpayers' money goes well and also provide a great place for kids to not only learn, but to learn how to take care of their bodies.
I don't know if you know this, but Congressman Weldon is a doctor, and he and I were discussing on Air Force One, what can we do, as government officials, to encourage people to make right choices with their body, eat good food, and exercise? I mean, we've got to make sure that children understand that it is important to be wise about the food you eat, and at the same time, understand the importance of exercise, in order to make sure that they're healthy when they come up, that they're -- that when they get older -- kind of like me -- they're healthy. Now is the time to encourage people to have preventative -- choices in life to prevent illness. It seems pretty cool to have the elementary school and the Y educating the mind, as well as training the body, in the same building. So I congratulate you for your wisdom and your foresight, and wish you all the very best.
I want to thank the teachers who are here. (Applause.) I know I speak for Mother when I say this, and certainly Laura: We appreciate you teaching. It is a noble profession. Sam Houston was my predecessor as the governor of Texas, by the way, and they asked him -- he was a United States senator from Texas, he was a congressman from Tennessee, he was the governor of Texas, he was the President of the Republic of Texas. That was before we became a state. And they said, of all those jobs, which one did you like the best. Without hesitating, he said, "Teacher." It's as noble profession. So thanks for teaching. I also want to remind the moms and dads who are here that a child's first teacher is a mom and a dad, that you have the responsibility to be the first teacher to make their job easier. (Applause.)
Sam Beard is here -- where's Sam? Oh, Sam, thanks for coming. Sam is a, I think it's safe to say, a Democrat, which is fine. (Laughter.) He is a -- but what I think you'll find interesting is, in 2001, I created a commission to look at the Social Security issue. And there were eight Democrats and eight Republicans on the commission. The commission was headed by former Democrat, United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan from New York, one of the really fine, distinguished public servants. We attracted some really bright people like Sam to serve on the commission. They came together to talk about the Social Security issue, which I'm about to talk about, as well. They did so in the spirit of what is -- trying to figure out how to solve a problem, not how to promote a political party.
And I want to thank you for serving, Sam. You came up with some great ideas. And I urge the Congress to take the same spirit that the -- adopt the same spirit that the Moynihan commission did, to serve this country without trying to foster a party, but serve the country to come up with problems so that a younger generation of Americans will be able to say, when it's all said and done, we did our duty to make sure the safety net for Social Security exists for them like it does for today's seniors. So thank you for being here, Sam. I appreciate you coming. (Applause.)
A couple of other things I want to talk about before we get to Social Security. Today, I met Betty Haggard. She is a volunteer. She works for Citizens on Patrol for the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. I want to thank Betty for the example she sets. The reason I like to bring up people who volunteer is because I want to remind you that a great way to serve our country is to feed the hungry, find shelter for the homeless, mentor a child, teach somebody to read, put your arm around somebody who hurts, help heal a broken heart, and you do that by volunteering. You do that by taking time out of your life, and when you do, you make America a better place. (Applause.)
We're living in exciting times. I'm -- I fully understand that the actions we take abroad and the actions we take at home will set the course of events for a half-century, at least. That's how I think about public policy. We're laying the foundation for freedom. That will mean that your children and grandchildren can grow up in a peaceful world. The object of this administration -- the objectives of this administration -- is to, first and foremost, defend our country. But I understand, in the defense of America, the long-term defense of America will be suited by the spread of freedom.
Free societies are peaceful societies. (Applause.) I believe that deep in everybody's soul is the desire to live in a free society. It doesn't matter your religion or where you're from. And I believe that because the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world is freedom. This isn't bestowed by America, this is bestowed by something greater than America. (Applause.) And if you believe that -- if you believe that, and if you understand that freedom leads to peace, then it's got to be the central policy of the United States to work with friends and allies to spread freedom. And it's happening.
I mean, if you think about Afghanistan, for example, particularly for the young here, it wasn't all that long ago that people in Afghanistan lived under the brutal reign of the Taliban. Now, these people were -- had a dark, dim vision of the world, like, if you didn't agree with them a hundred percent when it came to their religion, you'd find yourself being flogged in the public square or executed.
We acted in our self-interest. We upheld a doctrine that said, if you harbor a terrorist, you're equally as guilty as the terrorist. But in so doing, we freed millions of people from the clutches of the Taliban. It didn't happen long after the Taliban was gone that the people of Afghanistan voted for the first time for President in the country's history. Millions showed up at the polls. The first voter, by the way, was a young woman. She wasn't even allowed to express her opinion under the Taliban. She's voting. And as a result of Afghanistan becoming a liberated, free society, the world is more peaceful. (Applause.)
There was a vote in the Palestinian Territories. President Abbas is showing strength and courage by saying to the terrorists, we'll never achieve peace so long as you -- so long as you kill. I believe there will be a Palestinian state which is a democracy living side-by-side in peace with Israel, which is a democracy. And we're beginning to see the signs of hopeful progress. Two free societies living side-by-side in peace will make it easier for our grandchildren to grow up in a peaceful world. I don't have any grandchildren yet -- your grandchildren. (Laughter.)
Lebanon -- think about Lebanon. It's a country occupied by Syria. However, as the world began to speak with one voice to Syria, saying, get out, take your troops out, take your intelligence services out, people poured out in the public square to say, we want to be free. There will be a free Lebanon and Syria must listen to the demands of the world and completely withdraw. (Applause.)
And, finally, in Iraq -- I'm sure some of you have had relatives in Iraq -- been a huge sacrifice by our military families, and people of America, as a matter of fact, when it came to war. War is always the last resort for a President. Diplomacy must always be tried. We responded to the challenges of the time. But it should have heartened people to see the eight million plus Iraqis who once lived under the brutal reign of a tyrant go to the polls in defiance of terrorists and cold-blooded killers. That statement was a powerful statement, particularly for young to understand, that when you believe freedom lurks in everybody's soul, that people love to be free, to realize the bravery and courage of those good folks in the facts of terrorists has set an example for a lot of countries. A free Iraq is in our interests. A free Iraq will make America more secure, the world more free, which will help us achieve the peace we all want. Freedom is on the march, and over the next four years, I'll do all I can to work with friends and allies to keep it on the march. (Applause.)
Just one quick word on what we can do in Congress to make sure that we continue the economic prosperity that's taking place in a place like Florida -- it's got one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, by the way. I try to attribute that to Jeb, but then I realized it completely overlooks the entrepreneurial spirit of the Floridian people, and the truth of the matter is, the economy is growing because there's risk-takers, dreamers, doers and hard workers in the state of Florida. (Applause.)
So I'm looking forward to working with Congress to make sure that we continue to create an environment in which we can have economic growth and vitality. There's a lot of things we can do. Pass a reasonable budget, for starters; make sure we're wise about how we spend your money. Another thing we can do is keep your taxes low. Third thing we need to do is to make sure that Congress gets an energy bill to my desk.
In 2001, I was concerned about dwindling supply in the United States and more dependence upon supply from overseas. And so I put together a group of smart people and we came together with an energy strategy. And it's a multifaceted strategy. It says, we got to conserve more; we need to work on ways to encourage conservation; we got to develop alternative sources of energy like ethanol and biodiesel. We need more LNG facilities so we can bring liquefied natural gas to our power plants around the United States.
We'll spend taxpayers' money on research projects so that we could, for example, be able to burn coal in a zero emissions plant. We've got a plant -- such a strategy and such an experimentation going on right now. I think we ought to explore -- and we are -- ways to see if we can't use hydrogen to power our automobiles, so that we become not only less dependent on foreign sources of energy, but that we're wiser about environmental air standards, about protecting environmental air standards.
In other words, there's a lot of things I put in that report. I'm concerned about the price of your gasoline. I'm concerned about rising prices. And Congress needs to stop debating this bill. Congress needs to get it to my desk, so we can start the progress of becoming less dependent on foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)
You don't have to worry about these ones. (Laughter.) We're on board -- on the same -- we're working on -- we're working the -- we're working toward the same goal, and that's energy independence.
I want to talk about Social Security. First, Social Security is one of our great institutions. I think Franklin Roosevelt did a good thing when he created Social Security -- matter of fact, I know he did -- because it's provided a retirement safety net for a lot of folks. And that's important.
The problem is we got a problem with Social Security. And that's what I want to discuss with you. As a matter of fact, I think this is maybe the 16th state I've been to since I gave my State of the Union, talking about Social Security, the fact that it's one of the great moral successes; the fact that the system has helped seniors enjoy the dignity of a secure retirement.
I'm assuring people I fully understand a lot of seniors rely upon their Social Security check. Don't you? It matters a lot. It matters to seniors all around our country. And that's why I'm spending a lot of time not only addressing the problem -- which I'm going to define for you in a minute -- but, most importantly, saying to seniors, you have nothing to fear when it comes to this talk about making sure the system works for the next generation. It's really important for people to hear that. It's taken 16 states so far to get the message out. I got three more next week. No matter how many states it takes or how many speeches I give, I want seniors to understand all across America, no matter what the rhetoric is, no matter what the pamphlets say, no matter what the pundits tell you, this government will make and keep its promise to our seniors who have retired. (Applause.)
If you're approaching retirement and born before 1950, you're going to get your check, too. Nothing will change. You been working hard, you've been putting money in the system, and you're going to get your Social Security check, too. In other words, for those of us born prior to 1950, nothing changes. I'm a fellow who was born prior to 1950; I guess that makes me feel okay. What really makes me worried about is I understand that we have made promises for younger Americans that we can't keep. And that's what I want to explain to you, that this government of yours has said to Americans, that safety net that we've created is fine if you retire, but for a younger generation of Americans, it has a hole in it.
And let me tell you why: Because Social Security has changed; the dynamics of our society has changed in ways that the creators of Social Security could never have envisioned. First of all, the Social Security system is a pay-as-you-go system. That means, you pay, the government goes ahead and spends. (Laughter.) You pay in the system at your payroll tax, and the government pays out the promised benefits, and if there's any money left over, it goes to pay for other programs. See, some people, I suspect, think that there is a trust, and we take your money and we hold it for you. And then when it comes time to retire, we pull it out for you. That's not the way it works. It is a pay-as-you-go system. The money comes in the door and immediately goes out the door.
In 1950, there were 16 workers for every beneficiary -- 16 workers paying into the system for every beneficiary. You can imagine it works. In a pay-as-you-go system, when you've got a lot of workers per beneficiary, it means you're collecting enough money to be able to take care of the people who's retired. Today, because we're having fewer babies, because there's an increasing number of beneficiaries, there's only 3.3 workers per beneficiary. In other words, fewer workers are carrying a greater load.
In a relatively short period of time, there's going to be two workers per beneficiary. Like, if you're young, you're going to be one of two who's going to have to pay for guys like me. And so you begin to get a sense for the math that has changed: 16 workers in the 1950s; in the 21st century there's going to be two workers per beneficiary. And the other thing -- the other problem to complete the math is that a group of us are getting ready to retire. We're called baby boomers. I think I'm on the leading edge. I was born in 1946; I turn 62 in 2008, which is a convenient year, in my case, for getting to retirement age. (Laughter and applause.) And you know what else has changed? Guys like me and Sam and others, we're living longer, much longer than previous generations. And you know what else has changed? Because a lot of people ran for office saying, vote for me, I'm going to increase your Social Security benefits, my generation has been promised greater benefits than the previous generation.
So if you take the issue of baby boomers living longer, getting paid more, coupled with fewer people paying in the system, it says we've got a serious problem, and it begins to manifest itself in 2018. That's when more money starts going out of the system than coming in. Now, that may seem like a long time if you've got a two-year perspective on life, but it's not long -- 2018 is 13 years from now. If you're five years old, you'll be voting in 13 quick years. For those of you who have raised children, you understand how fast 13 years goes by.
In 2027, the system will be $200 billion in the red. In other words, in 2018, it starts to go in the red and it gets worse every year: 2027, it's $200 billion, and it gets worse after that. It keeps getting worse until it gets up to -- 2033, the annual shortfall is about $300 billion. Finally, 2042, it's bust; it's bankrupt. So in other words, there's a huge hole. Because there's more of me -- people like me, living longer, getting paid more benefits, fewer workers in the system, the system starts go into the red and it just accelerates.
And you can understand the problem. If you're a grandparent thinking about your grandchild, you ought to be asking the question of people like me, how are you going to -- how's this younger worker going to pay for it if you don't do anything? You can imagine what it means.
We had an expert today, one of your panelists, Sam, was there. She said that if nothing happens, in order to make the system somewhat whole, the payroll tax is going to have to go up to 18 percent, I think she told me. Think about that. Doing nothing has got serious consequences for a younger generation coming up. This is why I like to say this is a generational issue. This is an issue where, once we can assure grandparents that you're fine, you'll be taken care of, the promise will be kept, a lot of grandparents are starting to say, whew, I'm feeling good about it; how about my grandchildren? What are we going to do for them?
I met Don and -- Dan and Lois Canterbury. Dan is a retired dentist from Auburndale. He and his wife have got eight grandchildren. Their -- the oldest grandchild is Evan. He's not here. He's 17 -- I hope he's studying -- (laughter) -- but he's 17. On its current path, Social Security would take part of Evan's check, of course, for his entire working career, but it goes broke 10 years before he retires. I hope that helps put it in perspective of what I'm talking about. It's one thing to put out dates; it's another thing to put this in personal terms.
And Evan is out there working hard, the system is bankrupt, he's put all this money in, and so what are the choices that future public policy people will have? And they're not very good: major benefit cuts, major increases in taxes, cutting out all other kind of programs in order to make sure that the promises are kept. And those options don't sound very good to me and I know they don't sound very good to you when you start thinking about it.
And so what we need to do is come up with a permanent solution. And that's what I'm going to travel the country talking about. I think most people have begun to understand that we got a problem, which is an important dynamic. See, if Congress didn't think you thought there was a problem, nothing would happen. This is one of these issues where people in Washington truly respond to what people think. If they think nobody really thinks there's a problem, I can assure you nothing will take place. But I think things are changing in Washington. Matter of fact, I know they are, in terms of whether or not people think there's a problem. Matter of fact, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution the other day, 100-to-nothing, saying that we have a problem with Social Security and we need to come up with a permanent solution. That is progress. It's a solemn commitment from the Senate.
And I want to assure you all that my administration will work with the United States Senate and the House of Representatives to come up with a permanent solution, and we're willing to listen to anybody with a good idea. As a matter of fact, in my State of the Union address -- I haven't looked at all previous State of the Union addresses -- but I suspect you'll find, when it came to Social Security, mine was unique because I said, let's put good ideas on the table. And I mentioned some of them. Former Congressman Tim Penny had a good idea about the possibility of indexing Social Security benefits to prices rather than wages, for younger workers. President Clinton spoke about raising the retirement age for younger workers. Patrick Moynihan, for the committee, talked about ways to change the benefits. There was a Social Security expert name Robert Posen, who happens to be a Democrat, proposed a progressive mix of wage and price indexing.
These are all important, very interesting ideas that I just strongly urge members of Congress to bring to the table and consider. It's one thing to be thinking about solutions; it's another to say, I just dismiss anything out of hand. That's not the way I think and that's not the way this problem's going to get solved. We ought to welcome ideas. It doesn't matter if it's a Republican idea or a Democrat idea, the idea is to come together and fix this for a generation of Americans to come. (Applause.)
I have said this, and I believe -- I know we can do this without raising the payroll tax rate. The reason why I believe that's it's necessary is because one way to make sure this economy is slow today and slow in the out-years is run up the payroll tax on people. It's a tough tax on a lot of people.
I also know that this can't be a temporary fix. I don't know if you remember 1983. Some of you weren't even born then. Kind of envious. (Laughter.) They said they fixed -- they put the 75-year Social Security fix together. It's called a 75-year fix. First, I want to applaud President Reagan, Speaker O'Neill. I think leader Dole was involved with that. It was -- a lot of people from both parties came together, said, we've got a real problem, let's come together to do something about Social Security. And they put together the 75-year fix. But here we are in 2005. Doesn't seem like a 75-year fix when you're here talking about it 22 years later.
And so I urge Congress not to think about 75-year fixes. The math is just not going to allow for a 75-year fix. It may sound like a 75-year fix at first. We need a permanent fix. We need to do it right now and make sure that nobody has to address the issue again. (Applause.)
I think we have an additional responsibility, besides making sure that it's solvent, the system is solvent, and we've got to make it better for our children and grandchildren. And so I've laid out a proposal to give our youngsters an opportunity that the current system doesn't provide, and that is a chance to own a piece of their own retirement, own it themselves, and to tap into the power of compounding interest. It's called -- I call it a personal savings account. It's a chance to give workers a voluntary option. In other words, you get to choose if you want to. The government says you don't have to do this, you can do this if you think it's an interesting idea that you want to look at, to set aside some of your own money in a savings account that you will invest in a conservative mix of bonds and stocks.
This isn't the solution to Social Security; it is a part of the solution to Social Security. It will mean that younger workers, when they retire, get a better deal than under the current system, is what I'm trying to tell you. It's a -- if you think about this -- let me explain compounding rate of interest to you, that if you let a younger worker invest a third of their payroll taxes, let's say 4 percent, in a conservative mix of bonds and stocks, and that younger worker started saving at about 21 years old and made $35,000 a year over his or her lifetime, by the time he or she retired, there would be a nest egg of $250,000. In other words, 4 percent of that person's payroll tax, or a third of the payroll tax, invested and held and it just grows, compounds.
And what's important is, is that the rate of return in the voluntary account would be greater than that in which the government -- you can get through the government. In other words, by putting in a conservative mix of bonds and stocks, you're going to make a better rate of return than your money today. And the difference between what you will earn in a conservative mix and what the government gets is substantial, particularly when you start saving at 21 years old. And that matters.
And so they've got an opportunity under this system to have an asset that you call your own. The system today, you have no assets. The money goes in and it goes out. There's IOUs. They're paper. But there's no asset base.
Now, look, we're going to make sure there's careful guidelines about what you can invest in. You can't put it in the lottery. You can't take it to the track. (Laughter.) You got to invest it in a conservative mix of bonds and stocks. But we're used to those kinds of things, aren't we, in our society? We got the thrift savings plans that people -- Congress are able to use, or federal employees are able to use.
Today I was with a Navy pilot in Pensacola, 21-year-old kid getting his wings, talks about his thrift savings plans. He said, I like my thrift savings plan. He says, I watch my money grow. I said, oh, yes -- you get a quarterly statement? He said, no, I get it online all the time.
You see what's interesting about this notion about saving and investing is, the world has changed when it comes to investing, at least it's changed since I was being raised. I was telling Mother in the limousine, I don't remember talking to her about 401(k)s when I was a little guy. I don't remember IRAs, defined contribution plans. This world has changed since -- since I was raised.
And there are a lot of young kids who now understand what it means to invest. They're comfortable with the concept of watching their money grow. They understand that it's possible for government to allow a younger worker to invest, that -- in a conservative mix of instruments. I mean, this is not -- this is not a foreign concept. People are getting used to that. It seems like to me that if a thrift savings plan is good enough for a federal worker, it's good enough for a private sector worker. It's good enough for you. (Applause.)
I met Anna Brooks from Sanford, Florida. Her husband was a Methodist minister. He died. Let me talk about one of the benefits of personal accounts when it comes to somebody who has been widowed. If your spouse dies before 62 and you're not working, you get nothing from the system until you turn 62 years old. Think about that. Your husband has been working, putting money in the system, he passes away -- or it could be the opposite, wife is working, husband is the beneficiary, and the person passes away, and there's nothing left until that person turns 62 years old. Or how about the case of the -- both couples -- both folks working, and one predeceases the other, and the spousal benefits are less than the person's retirement benefits when the person living retires. You only get one or the other. You get the higher of the two, not both. Think about that system for a minute. Somebody works all their life, the spouse works all their life, the spouse is only going to get what she has, or he has contributed into the system. But the other -- the other member of their family's money, it just goes away.
If you have a personal account that grows over time, it's your asset you call your own, you can leave it to whom you want. If you get -- if you -- the wife or husband whose spouse predeceases them will be able to have that asset. It's yours. You get to decide, not the government. And the money you've earned over the course of your lifetime becomes real, it's a part of an asset. And that's an important part of why people should take a serious look at personal accounts. There's something beneficial in a society where more and more people have a real asset they call their own, where they get to decide to -- whom to leave it to.
And so I was talking to Anna. She's got a lot of grandkids. She's interested in making sure that the system for the grandkids -- she's got two great grandkids, she's fixing to have another great grandchild -- so she's interested in the subject, because she understands that if we don't do anything, those kids are going to be saddled with a serious problem. And the idea of her kids or grandkids and great grandkids being able to have an asset appeals to her, something she wasn't afforded when she was coming up and working.
And so what I'm telling you is personal accounts would replace empty government promise with real assets. I really like the idea of the fact that in our society today, more people own a home than ever before. More minority families own a home than ever before. That's positive, isn't it? Isn't that great? (Applause.) I like the idea that more and more people own their own small business. People from all walks of life have their own business and they're struggling and working hard, employing people, but it's theirs. Personal accounts in a Social Security system would give millions of Americas their first chance to own something, the chance to pass something on to a son or a daughter if that's what they choose to do.
Now, ownership is powerful. Ownership was -- you know, it means you can -- somebody can inherit something from a mom or dad. And that shouldn't be the privilege of just the wealthy. That should be the opportunity of everybody who lives in America.
And so one of the reasons why I think Congress ought to consider personal accounts is because it empowers the individual. It is -- conforms with the way people are getting used to investing now, particularly younger Americans, through 401(k)s or defined contribution plans. But it will allow people to earn a better rate of return than they will under the current system. It will help complement whatever is left over in the Social Security system.
The government has promised benefits, but I've told you we can't pay what we've promised. But the personal account, because of the compounding rate of interest, will help you get closer to that which government has promised. It will make it a part of a good retirement system for people.
And this idea is a idea that's not a Republican idea, or a Democrat idea. There are a lot of people from both political parties who understand the power of this. I happen to think it's a really good people idea. I think it's an idea because it empowers people. I think it's an idea because it says that the United States government really does trust the people with their own money.
And so I urge Congress, as we take on this issue, to listen carefully to the American people. And I urge you to make sure that Congress hears your voices. (Applause.)
Over the next weeks, I'll continue to talk about how the -- to the people about the fact that we have got a serious problem. Oh, it's fine for people like me and people born after -- before 1950. People born after 1950, you better be asking your elected representatives, if we've got a problem, what do you intend to do about it. I find people are really tired of partisan bickering: we can't accept this idea because it's a Republican idea; we can't accept this idea because it's a Democrat idea. People just don't want that when it comes to the Social Security debate. People want there to be goodwill and a good-faith effort by people of both political parties to sit down at the table, and say, the people are worried about it, there's a lot of grandparents in America worried about their grandchildren, we have run for office for a reason.
One of the reasons I have this idea or this issue on the table, because I understand the job of the President is to confront problems, and not just pass them on to another President or another Congress. Now is the time.
And I want to thank you for giving me a chance -- (applause.) I want to thank you all for giving me a chance to come by. Sam, thank you for your good work on this issue. Thank you for your interest on this issue. I want to thank the younger folks who are here for paying attention to an issue, which I promise you is going to affect your life. It's either going to affect it in an incredibly positive way, or about 20 years from now, you're going to be saying to yourself, I wonder how come the Congress didn't listen to old George W. Bush. (Laughter.) How come they didn't get together and fix this for generations to come?
God bless, thank you for coming. (Applause.)


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Your on-line source for reliable and unbiased information about the evaluation & treatment of heart disease.
What is a Tilt Test?
What is Neurally Mediated Syncope (NMS)?
How is Tilt Test performed?
How to prepare for the test?
How long does it take?
How safe is it?
What information is provided by Tilt Test?
How quickly will I get the results of the test?
What is a Tilt Test? A Tilt Table Test or TTT is widely used in making the diagnosis of Neurally (pronounced new-rully) Mediated Syncope (pronounced syn-cup-ee) or NMS. Both of them are discussed below.
What is Neurally Mediated Syncope (NMS) and why do these patients pass out? NMS is a condition that can occur in a wide range of people, many of whom do not have any other associated cardiovascular problems. These patients give a history of repeatedly having syncope (passing out spells) over the course of several years. Some of these spells may be preceded by a hot sensation or nausea but many come on without any warning. The patient may fall to the ground and recover consciousness quickly and without any further problems. The episodes of syncope may occur at church, in the grocery store, while a blood specimen is being drawn, or while sitting quietly at home, etc. Surprisingly, the majority of the patients never sustain serious injuries and the diagnosis may go undetected for decades. Patient's get used to having "faints" and life goes on! The availability of the Tilt Test, its wide success in establishing the diagnosis of NMS, and effective treatment for NMS has resulted in the well deserved popularity of the test.
To understand this phenomenon, we must first examine how the nervous system of the body functions. During our daily activities, our heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) constantly rise and fall to meet the needs of the body. The HR and BP are lower at rest, while the HR picks up and BP is elevated during emotional stress and exercise. The control of the HR and BP are under the domain of the sympathetic (pronounced sim-pa-thetic) and parasympathetic nervous system. The former increases the HR and BP while the latter reduces them. To simplify this concept, let us imagine that the body is an automobile. Pressing the accelerator pedal would make the car work harder and go faster. In contrast, pressing the brake pedal would slow the car down. Thus, the sympathetic nervous system behaves like an accelerator for the body while the parasympathetic system functions like a braking system. You with me? Great!
Normally, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system work together in a very efficient and cooperative manner. Just like a good driver, the accelerator and brake pedals are used efficiently (one being slowly pressed while the other is smoothly released). The car slows down and speeds up so smoothly that one does not recognize the change. Similarly, our HR and BP goes up and down without us being aware of it. From time to time, this system breaks down in people with NMS. It is almost as if the accelerator pedal remains in the control of the car driver while the braking system is occasionally turned over to an extremely nervous "back seat driver." This spells trouble! Now, if the "car" accelerates too rapidly (HR and BP goes up), the back seat driver panics and SLAMS the brake. The HR and BP (either singly or together) drop suddenly and severely. This reduces blood supply to the brain and the patient passes out. The back seat driver then steps off the brake pedal, the HR and BP increases, blood flow is restored and the patient awakens.
How is the Tilt Test Performed? The patient is hooked to an EKG machine and a BP monitor. The HR and BP are constantly monitored during the procedure. An intravenous (IV) line is placed in the arm. Large patches are also applied to the patient's chest.
These patches are connected to an external pacemaker and turned on if the patient's HR slows down and does not pick right up (in the majority of cases the slow HR is transient and the external pacemaker is only a precautionary measure).
The patient lays on a swivel table in a flat position. Safety straps are applied across the chest and legs to hold the patient in place.
After obtaining the baseline HR and BP, the motorized table is tilted up to an angle of 80 degrees. This simulates going from a flat (supine) to a standing or upright position. The change in position causes the HR and BP to rise and the patient's response is noted. Depending upon the physician and the protocol of a given laboratory, the duration of time spent in the supine and upright position can vary from 5 to 30 minutes.
If nothing happens, the table is returned to the flat position and an intravenous infusion of isoproternol (Trade name = Isuprel) is started. This medicine increases the HR and BP. This effect is similar to that produced by our own natural adrenaline release. As you may have gathered, the test is now simulating what happens when the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated and the "accelerator" is pressed. The tilt table is then raised back up to 80 degrees and the IV medication continued.
A stop clock in the room is used to keep track of time. If an abnormal result is not seen, the table is lowered and then raised back up after increasing the dose of the IV medicine. In patients with NMS, the increase in HR and BP is usually sufficient to cause "panic in the back seat driver" (parasympathetic nervous system). When this happens, the HR, BP or both drop suddenly and dramatically as the parasympathetic system "slams the brake pedal.". The patient gets dizzy and passes out. Thus, TTT succeeds in simulating a real life situation and establishes the cause of recurrent black out spells. With the above changes, the test is considered positive. The IV medicine is immediately stopped and the patient returned to the flat or supine position. Within a few seconds, the patient regains consciousness and both the HR and BP return to normal. The patient is observed for 10 to 20 minutes and then disconnected from the equipment.
How to prepare for the Tilt test? Check with your physician to see if any of your medications need to be held. You should not eat or drink after midnight to reduce the risk of nausea and vomiting during the test. Try and wear a blouse or shirt to expedite preparation for the test.
How long does the Tilt test take? The test generally takes a total of 1 1/2 hours. This includes preparation, the actual test and the recovery phase. Please make sure that somebody can drive you home after the test.
How safe is a Tilt test? The test is fairly safe, although it can be dramatic for the patient if the test is positive and causes a black out spell. Not a very pleasant circumstance! However, the patient needs to recognize that this denotes a positive response and opens the door to the addition of extremely effective medications that may dramatically reduce or totally eliminate the patient's recurrent black out spells. In rare cases, the test may produce persistent abnormal heart rhythm and patients with coronary artery disease may occasionally experience lingering chest discomfort. Experienced staff and equipment are on hand to handle these potential complications.
What information is provided by the Tilt test? The tilt test helps to confirm the diagnosis of NMS. This is extremely important because there is effective treatment for the condition which can either totally eradicate or dramatically reduce the frequency and intensity of symptoms (dizziness and black out spells). Recent research studies have also shown a correlation between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and NMS. Treatment aimed at NMS has been shown to be beneficial in many patients with CFS (if they have a positive tilt test). The use of beta-blockers is most commonly employed in the treatment of NMS. The beta-blockers acts as a "governor" on a carburetor. The motor does not "rev up" as much (HR and BP does not increase drastically) and the back seat driver (parasympathetic system) remains calm and does not slam on the brakes. Other drugs that have shown benefit include aminophylline, disopyramide and certain anti-depressants serotonin-uptake inhibitors).
How quickly will I get the results of the Tilt Test? The tilt test results are generally provided to you as soon as it is completed. Changes in your medications, if indicated by the results of the test, may be discussed at the same time or during a subsequent office visit.
©1999-2017, 20XXA.S.M. Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved, including design and all graphic contents & animations

subset: commoncrawl


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Canon Ambassador and photojournalist Laura El-Tantawy was born in the United Kingdom to Egyptian parents and her life has been divided between Middle Eastern and Western cultures. This experience has inspired much of her documentary work in which she explores ideas around belonging and identity, often in impressionistic and abstract ways.
Laura's work has been displayed in both group and solo exhibitions worldwide. It's also been published in a range of newspapers and magazines including The New Yorker, Le Monde, Marie Claire and National Geographic, as well as five self-published monographs.


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© 2024 MJH Life Sciences™ and BioPharm International. All rights reserved.
Edison and DSP partner to develop drugs targeting cellular energy metabolism.
Edison Pharmaceuticals announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance valued at up to $4.295 billion with Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma (DSP) for the development of drugs targeting cellular energy metabolism. Building on an Edison and DSP collaboration agreement announced in March, 2013, the primary clinical focus is the adult central nervous system.
Under the terms of the expanded agreement, DSP will gain select development and commercialization rights in Japan and North America to jointly discovered drugs in exchange for $10M upfront and $40M payment in R&D support. In addition, DSP will fully fund the development of 10 new jointly discovered drugs through investigational-new-drug (IND) filing and broaden its rights to EPI-589 (a central nervous system treatment currently in phase 1B), to include North America. In exchange, Edison will be eligible to receive in total between $30M and $105M per indication associated with successful development of EPI-589 in North America; between $10M and $30M per indication in development milestones associated with successful development of jointly discovered compounds in Japan and North America; up to $3.86 billion in commercial milestone payments for jointly discovered compounds and EPI-589 in total; and double-digit royalties on commercial sales. DSP will also invest $50M in Edison through a preferred stock purchase agreement. At the discretion of Edison, DSP shall invest an additional $50M in the period between the first and fifth anniversaries of the initial equity closing. Edison will retain full ownership of its drug EPI-743 (an orally bioavailable small molecule for the treatment of inherited mitochondrial diseases), and it will continue to direct all research, clinical development, and commercial development outside of Japan.
The R&D program is directed at the characterization of the redox control energy system crucial to the generation and regulation of cellular energy metabolism. The cellular redox "network" is an untapped reservoir of new drug targets, especially for high energy-consuming organs such as the brain, said the companies. DSP and Edison will work together under a novel collaborative framework to discover, characterize, and translate drugs into clinical development.
"Compelling data suggest that the mitochondria and redox regulation play a central role in a variety of disease mechanisms," said Hiroshi Noguchi, PhD, chief scientific officer and member of the board of directors of DSP, in the press release. "As Edison is a leader in redox drug development, we see the highly integrated alliance structure as a way to bring our companies closer together in order to leverage our mutual strengths, make new and important discoveries, and bring valuable new drugs to the marketplace for critical diseases with unmet medical need."
The term redox refers to a set of chemical reactions involving the tandem accepting and donating of electrons. Redox biochemical and enzyme-catalyzed reactions underlie the vast majority of the chemistry responsible for the generation of energy within the cellular powerhouse, the mitochondrion. In addition, redox reactions play a crucial role in the regulation of energy metabolism. Edison's initial clinical focus is on a set of pediatric diseases for which there are unambiguous genetic alterations in mitochondrial proteins responsible for energy generation and regulation. These rare (i.e., orphan) diseases are collectively referred to as inherited respiratory chain diseases of the mitochondria. Inherited pediatric mitochondrial disease and a variety of adult neurodegenerative diseases may arise through analogous genetic errors in mitochondrial proteins, giving rise to common biochemical consequences. In the case of Parkinson's disease, for example, a variety of inherited forms of the disease are caused by defects in proteins associated with mitochondrial function. Additionally, both pediatric mitochondrial diseases and adult neurodegenerative diseases display a common biochemical signature of excess electrons. This is commonly referred to as oxidative stress. Edison is leveraging its core expertise in redox biochemistry and its proprietary technology platform to develop novel drugs targeting redox pathways common to pediatric mitochondrial disease and adult neurodegenerative diseases, as well as fundamental aging mechanisms.
Source: Edison Pharmaceuticals


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no breath at all
Habakkuk 2:19
2:19 no breath at all. A woe is pronounced against those who induce others to sin (Habakkuk 2:15), and another here against those who seek knowledge and life from wood and stone. These are mere created materials, embellished a bit by men, but possess neither life nor knowledge, and so cannot impart such information to others. Man's heart is corrupt, and so he seeks to escape his Creator; nevertheless, he must somehow seek knowledge and life beyond himself, and so tries to worship and serve the creation rather than the Creator! (Romans 1:25). This sinful ignorance is no less characteristic of modern humanistic evolutionists than it was of the ancient pantheistic evolutionists, and God has pronounced woe on all who turn to such lies.


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Hello Sugar | Ansley Square Brazilian Wax & Sugar Salon
Here at Hello Sugar, we offer the best full-body Brazilian wax and Brazilian sugaring in the city
"Welcome to Hello Sugar, where we offer the finest Brazilian waxing and sugaring services in Atlanta. Our team of highly skilled aestheticians is dedicated to providing you with an exceptional experience every time you visit one of our 50+ salons across the country. Our commitment to quality extends to our products and techniques, ensuring that you receive the best possible results. You can also enjoy full-body waxing as low as $52/mo with our membership program! We offer everything you need, including bikini waxing, leg waxing and brow waxing. Stop by our new location in Ansley Square to see why we're the top choice for full-body waxing in Midtown Atlanta."
Atlanta ( at-LAN-tə) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, although a portion of the city extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 living within the city limits, it is the eighth most populous city in the Southeast and 38th most populous city in the United States according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the core of the much larger Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to more than 6.1 million people, making it the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, it features unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the most dense urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.Atlanta was originally founded as the terminus of a major state-sponsored railroad, but it soon became the convergence point among several railroads, spurring its rapid growth.
Adair Park, Almond Park, Ansley Park, Baker Hills, Bankhead, Beecher Hills, Ben Hill Pines, Benteen, Blandtown, Bolton Hills, Boulevard Heights, Bush Mountain, Carver Hills, Castleberry Hill, Castlewood


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Whether or not Chase Brandon's Roswell UFO story has legs obviously depends on the MSM's inclination to run with the ball. They've been warming up to it since June 23, when the retired CIA operative told Coast-To-Coast AM that the Agency had UFO material from the 1947 mystery stashed in its Historical Intelligence Collection files. But if the trend holds, they'll lose all followup ardor soon enough and it'll be a dead duck, as usual.
And that's too bad, because someone here is clearly lying. Last week, De Void asked the CIA if a) its HIC was in possession of Roswell data, and b) would Brandon have had access to that material?Agency PIO Jennifer Youngblood responded Tuesday afternoon: "Our historians have found nothing in the Agency's holdings to corroborate Mr. Brandon's specific claims. The CIA has fielded numerous inquiries related to UFOs over the years, and the definitive account of the Agency's role in UFO studies was published in 1997 and can be found — without redaction — on our website.
"The document can be found here and stands on its own: https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/97unclass/ufo.html"
That's a link to National Reconnaissance Organization historian Gerald Haines' dubious 1997 assertion that most Cold War UFO sightings can be attributed to U.S. spyplane activity. It has no bearing on the Roswell controversy. And that's pretty much all the CIA has to offer on Brandon's claims which, if true, are pure dynamite.
Reached at home, HIC curator Hayden Peake declined to provide additional information. "My comments are all in that statement released today," he said.
Although Brandon claimed last month he had no first-hand knowledge of the event, he told national audiences he took a peek inside a boxed file labeled "Roswell" during the mid-1990s. As a result: "I absolutely know … that there was a craft from beyond this world that crashed at Roswell, that the military picked up remains of not just the wreckage but cadavers and all of that was made public for a short while … One hundred percent guarantee, in my heart and soul I say — Roswell happened."
Brandon added his security oath prevented him from sharing more details. But what makes him worth listening to are his credentials. A 35-year CIA veteran, he was on the media radar screen — from Popular Mechanics to Mother Jones — for his foreign intrigues long before his decision to go Roswell. At about the same time Brandon claims to have seen the Roswell material, he became the CIA's first-ever technical consultant to Hollywood, where he reviewed scripts for image and credibility issues before lending the Agency's imprimatur to productions.
Several things are immediately suspicious about Brandon's revelations. Foremost is the timing, which coincides with the release of his new novel, The Cryptos Conundrum, billed as a sci-fi conspiracy thriller. Then there's the fact that nothing he discussed about Roswell goes above and beyond anything long since in the public domain.
"Chase's claim that he saw a box of files marked 'Roswell' is ridiculous," states Sarasota researcher Tony Bragalia, who has spent years investigating Roswell. "No doubt they use identifying code and project numbers [at the Archives] — not boxes marked 'Roswell,' 'JFK,' 'Bigfoot,' etc. And he's got the perfect fallback because he says he can't offer any other details due to national security. I don't think it's official disinformation. I think he's kind of setting himself up for the book. And it's too bad because there's so much stuff about this case that's real and interesting."
Brandon has not responded to De Void's query for comment.


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FUNDRAISER UPDATE: 73/100 "Daddy/Daughter Digital Drawing Time" prints were sold! Although they didn't all sell I was able to raise enough to pay my tax bill due to a handful of EXTREMELY generous donations from some very Fancy Bastards. I am going to leave the prints up for sale for now, so if you want to get one later you'll still have a chance. I am, as always, humbled by and grateful for the outpouring of support that you Fancy Bastards show when I am in a time of need.
Check out my wife's new Game Of Thrones inspired necklaces for you Starks and Lannisters in her Etsy store.
That Siri is a complicated lady. You have to know just the right words to say to her.


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A new, updated map reveals how the Antarctic continent looks under the ice, detailing each mountain range and valley. Beyond its undeniable beauty, this high-resolution map of Antarctica's bed topography, dubbed BEDMAP2, will help scientists model how ice sheets and glaciers respond to changes in the environment.
A large international consortium of Antarctic field programs, including NASA IceBridge, contributed information to this updated map of bed elevation and ice thickness for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. The first version of BEDMAP was completed in 2000. The new version, which was presented on Dec. 5 at the American Geophysical Union's 2011 Fall Meeting, incorporates seismic and radar data from about 265,000 km of airborne surveys over the ice.
"We are lacking fundamental data on ice thickness and bedrock elevation over large parts of Antarctica, because these areas are hard to reach," said IceBridge project scientist Michael Studinger. "We'll continue to fill in critical information gaps on places such as the Recovery Glacier in Coats Land, East Antarctica. This area has long been on the wish list of ice sheet modelers, but it is very far away from all research bases."
This year, IceBridge's DC-8 aircraft was able to fly four times over Recovery Glacier from Punta Arenas, Chile. "We have collected a landmark data set that will fill a critical hole in new BEDMAP compilations," Studinger said.
Text by Maria-José Viñas. Image courtesy of the BEDMAP Consortium. The new version of BEDMAP will soon be freely available. Read more about the BEDMAP2 on the project's website.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Leaked details on HP iPad challenger reveal tight fight
Swings, roundabouts and tablets
Hewlett-Packard's Slate will be close to Apple's iPad in many regards except one: It'll be a lot cheaper at the high end, according to an apparently leaked HP slide.
The PC maker will offer a Slate with Wi-Fi capabilities and 64Gb memory with a top recommended retail price of just under $600 compared to a WiFi and 64Gb enabled iPad at just under $700, according the internal HP presentation Gizmodo says it has obtained.
HP will lose out at the low end, though: Apple's iPad with Wi-Fi and 16Gb of memory and a price of $499 undercuts the planned Slate that'll start at 32Gb and be $549.
These are recommended prices, and HP could undercut Apple. If the Slate is sold through the usual channel outlets, as are many of HP's PCs, then you cold see some substantial discounting. Apple controls the vast majority of its distribution and its prices are renowned for staying solid.
Another area where HP users will lose out is on battery life and memory. The Slate will deliver "five plus" hours compared to "up to" 10 hours from Apple.
The Slate will come with 1GB of DDR2 memory that can't be upgraded, according to the slide. Apple has not released the details of the iPad's memory, but the deconstructionists at IFixIT found a combined 2Gb DDR SDRAM from Samsung inside the iPad they took apart.
HP will be slightly ahead in other areas according to the leaked preso: the tablet will be smaller and slightly lighter than the iPad, and a little faster with a 1.6GHz Intel ATOM processor.
Also, as reported earlier, the Slate will feature two camera-webcam and VGA-SD expansion and USB ports.
The Slate, meanwhile, will run Microsoft's Windows 7 Home Premium optimized for touch input. The iPad runs Apple's iPhone OS 3.2.
The OEM has yet to officially provide any technical or feature details about the Slate, previewed three months ago. This week, though, the company tried to cash in on the iPad meme by releasing a video focusing on the camera, USB and SD features missing in the iPad that'll be offered in the Slate.
HP was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press. ®


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The Los Angeles Kings won their first Stanley Cup trophy on Monday night after 45 years of existence, sending their hundreds of fans into a frenzy.
The news got us thinking: Which NFL team is most likely to next win its first Super Bowl title in franchise history?
We've got 14 teams to choose from, so let's break it down by tiers
Instant Debate: Most improved team?
With the draft and most of free agency behind us, which team has improved the most this offseason? Let's debate! **More ...**
Nothing on the horizon: Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars
I've never been sadder in a Super Bowl locker room than when I talked to the Cardinals. They were all so hopeful, but I couldn't help thinking they would never get back to that point. Without a quality quarterback, they are as far away as ever. Things change quickly in the NFL, but it's hard to imagine any of these teams being serious Super Bowl contenders in the next two years.
Sleepers: Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals
This Bengals squad is set up for continued success for a while. We like what Pete Carroll is doing with the Seahawks defense and think they will be playoff contenders for some time. Perhaps we're stretching by putting the Bills in a tier this high, but we'd love to see them as relevant again. There is plenty of talent there.
Knocking on the door: Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions
The Falcons are above .500 every year. If they can keep that up during the Matt Ryan era, they could eventually break through. Philip Rivers still has five more years left in his prime. Matthew Stafford has about a decade. Both quarterbacks are certainly good enough to win a Super Bowl. The Texans should have a window as serious contenders for the next few years.
Runner up: Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles fans are sick of falling just short, but that's what they'll do in this meaningless post. We could see them finally winning it all under Andy Reid, but don't quite trust Michael Vick enough to be steady throughout an entire playoff run.
Next up: Carolina Panthers
This exercise wasn't about which team was the closest to winning a title. The odds are strong that none of the teams above will win this year or even next. The idea was to predict what team was most likely to win their first Super Bowl next.
Only one of the teams on the list has Cam Newton. We think he'll win a Super Bowl someday, and we think he'll get it done before any of the teams above.


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George Kennedy
Born: 2/18/1925
Birthplace: New York City
This character actor began his career on stage and radio as a child and became a familiar face to American audiences in television and film during the 1960s. A featured actor in various short-lived television dramas and disaster movies such as Airport (1970) its various sequels, and the Naked Gun (1988, 1991, 1994) series with Leslie Nielson. George Kennedy is best-known for his 1988–91 stint as Carter McKay on the nighttime soap Dallas. He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the movie Cool Hand Luke (1967).
See also:


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Mindful of soaring deficits and an anti-Wall Street mood, President Barack Obama wants a new 10-year tax on the country's largest banks to cover a projected $117 billion shortfall in the government's financial crisis bailout fund.
The president planned to propose Thursday a levy of 15 basis points, or 0.15 percent, on the liabilities of large financial institutions to make sure every dollar spent from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program to rescue Wall Street firms, auto companies and mortgage holders is either repaid or paid for. Congress would have to approve the tax.
A senior administration official said the tax, which officials are calling a "financial crisis responsibility fee," would apply only to financial companies with assets of more than $50 billion. Those firms ? estimated to amount to about 50 institutions ? would have to pay the fee even though many did not accept any taxpayer assistance and most others already paid back their government infusions.
The official said banks could pay for the tax by tapping their generous executive bonus pools. The administration official described the plan in a conference call to reporters Wednesday evening on the condition of anonymity because it had not been officially announced.
At issue is the net cost of TARP, the fund initiated by the Bush administration to help financial institutions get rid of toxic assets. The fund has since evolved, helping not only the banking sector, but also autos and homeowners.
Insurance conglomerate American International Group, the largest beneficiary with nearly $70 billion in bailouts, would have to pay the tax. But General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, whose $66 billion in government loans are not expected to be fully repaid, would not be subject to a tax.
Bankers did not hide their objections.
"Politics have overtaken the economics," said Scott Talbott, the chief lobbyist for the Financial Services Roundtable, a group representing large Wall Street institutions. "This is a punitive tax on companies that repaid TARP in full or never took TARP."
Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase & Co., speaking to reporters Wednesday before details of the tax were known, said: "Using tax policy to punish people is a bad idea."
"It would be very hard for the industry to pay for the auto companies," Dimon added. "I mean, at one point you have to be a little fair."
The plan serves Obama in two ways ? it capitalizes on public antipathy toward banks blamed for causing the crisis, and it addresses a desire to show progress toward reducing record federal deficits.
The administration official said Obama wanted to accelerate a requirement in the existing TARP law that requires the president to seek a way to recoup unrecovered money in 2013, five years after the law was enacted.
The administration is also rejecting Dimon's argument that banks should not pay for shortfalls from the auto industry. The official said the thinking is that major financial institutions were both a significant cause of the crisis and major beneficiaries of the government's rescue efforts and should thus bear the brunt of the cost.
For banks, the official said, the tax would not affect their biggest liability ? insured deposits, which already are assessed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
The bank levy would generate an estimated $90 billion over 10 years. It could remain in place longer, however, if needed to eliminate the shortfall. The official said that if the shortfall was eliminated within a decade, the tax would still remain in place for the full 10-year minimum.
Banks have been paying back their infusions. Any shortfall would probably come from money used to prop up AIG, to support GM and Chrysler through bankruptcy protection and to assist homeowners with their mortgages.
So far, the Treasury has given $247 billion to more than 700 banks. Of that, $162 billion has been repaid and banks have paid an additional $11 billion in interest and dividends.
In Congress, the idea was receiving a predictable partisan reaction, with Democrats embracing it and Republicans rejecting it.
"Look, the financial institutions collectively, particularly the larger ones, caused problems by their errors ? their errors of judgment, their irresponsibility, in some cases their skating around dishonesty," said House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass.
"I think it is entirely reasonable to say that the industry that, A, caused these problems more than any other and, B, benefited from the activity, should be contributing," he said.
Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, a member of Frank's committee, ridiculed the idea. "To think that banks will loan more money if you tax them is beyond economic ignorance," he said.


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"Cut, cut, cut entitlements!"
"Reduce the debt!" We need to broaden the base (i.e more taxes on the 47%)!
"Reduce the size of government!"
Turn on any cable news network and that's all you'll hear.
And the only answers the politicians have are: raise more taxes and/or cut entitlements (not defense, of course) or both.
We hear the GOP wants to cut food stamps and other programs that help the poor. That something must be done with SS and Medicare because they're going broke and Medicaid needs to be cut back, too, because we just don't have the money. And the Democrats refuse to let these programs take a hit.
People are tired of paying taxes to help the "lazy 47% who don't pay taxes, is the complaint.
The economy is too sluggish, it's not growing!
So we're in gridlock, as usual, with no answers that either side is willing to accept.
Is there an alternative? Maybe.
What if we could add $169,260,000,000 to the economy?
Add $25,389,000,000 to the treasury each year in the form of taxes (without increasing anyone's taxes. Over 10 years, that's $2.5 trillion to add to the Treasury that could be earmarked to reduce the debt/deficit.
Reduce the costs of programs providing food stamps, housing vouchers, and the big one – Medicaid, thereby, reducing the size of government?
Collect $10,494.120,000 more annually in FICA premiums to shore up Social Security and Medicare. That's over $1 trillion in 10 years, that would surely strengthen each of these programs for the coming years without making major changes in the program.
How, you ask?
Increase the minimum wage to $15.00.
Using 2010 numbers, the poverty level for 1 person under 65 was $11,344. That's someone making $218.15 per week, or $5.45 an hour. The working poor receive assistance in the form of housing vouchers, food stamps, and Medicaid and pay little, if anything in the form of federal taxes.
Using the federal minimum wage in 2010 of $7.25 and the then number of working people making poverty level or less in wages of 10,500,000 you can extrapolate those numbers as follows:
10,500,000 x $7.25 per hour for 40 hours @ 52 weeks = $158,340,000,000 in wages annually. FICA at 6.2% for these workers would contribute $9,817.080.000 to SS/Medicare. Of course, some of these are part-time jobs, so this is merely an example. But for every person who can be removed from government assistance, that's less tax dollars needed to support them.
And if you think a person flipping burgers doesn't deserve $15 per hour, consider how much of your tax dollars are going to subsidize their wages so they can be paid $7.25 to flip those burgers. One way or the other, the consumer/tax payer is paying a considerable amount to get that burger flipped.
Now change the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour and extrapolate the numbers:
10,500,000 x 15.00 per hour 40 hours @ 52 weeks = $327,600,000,000 in wages annually. FICA would receive an additional contribution of $10,494,120,000. Over 10 years that would be over $1.4 Trillion dollars.
With a 15% tax rate, those wages would contribute $25,389,000,000 annually in revenue to the Treasury and could be targeted to directly reduce the debt. Over 10 years that would be a $2.5 Trillion deduction, in addition to the reduced expenditures for food stamps, housing vouchers, and Medicaid.
Add an additional $169,260,000,000 increased purchasing power to the economy.
Increasing the minimum wage would also add to the treasuries of states in the form of sales tax, income tax, among other taxes these dollars would generate.
A two-person working household could generate $30 per hour providing them income to save and possibly purchase a home.
The counter-argument will be that increasing the minimum wage will reduce jobs. There are several studies (links here) that refute that argument.
The other counter- argument will be that the cost of everything will go up and the jobs will move overseas.
First, these are service industry jobs…now 7 out of 10 in the U.S. – it's going to be hard to ship them overseas. Are you going to order your burger from the McDonald's in China and have it flown over to the pick up window? I think not. Nor is the Wal-Mart worker going to be shipped over there either unless you plan on restocking the shelves yourself.
As for the cost…two things to consider. Are you going to pay $15-30 for a McDonald's Big-Mac? Unlikely.
Prices are determined based on the floor (the lowest price a seller can sell a product for) and the ceiling (the highest amount a consumer is willing to pay), and on competitor pricing.
And while the prices may go up — if the consumer is willing to pay and competitors are not competing — the consumer/taxpayer is already paying. If the end game allows your taxes to be reduced and you, the consumer, have the freedom to choose where you will make your purchases — based on competitive prices and your willingness to pay and the fact that you have more money to spend then haven't we all won? Especially, if the economic health of the country is improved?
When you look at the trillions of dollars that are currently not being invested in our economy via our workers, but are sitting on the shelf waiting to invest…the only question I have is is – who better to invest in than the workers and our economy?
For the mom and pops out there with few employees, rather than subsidizing their profits by providing the employee with these programs, wouldn't it be better to subsidize their paychecks by increasing their wages by diverting the money from those programs to increase their wages? If we want to give people a hand up rather than a hand out, isn"t that the better way to do it?
There will always be people who will need these programs, those unable to work, the disabled and the elderly who need help.
Certainly, adding fuel ($169 billion) to the economy should generate jobs – and a $15 per hour job is one worthy of pursing, rather than sitting at home collecting a check that is the other complaint.


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Football: Blue Waves secure home playoff game
Preseason rankings make a difference.
With the Suffolk County Division II football playoff seedings to be decided by the end of the day, the Riverhead Blue Waves delivered a home-field clinching knockout blow to the Walt Whitman Wildcats with a 42-8 victory on Saturday afternoon at Coach Mike McKillop Memorial Field.
With the win, the top-seeded Blue Waves (6-2) have the third-best record in Division II behind West Islip (8-0) and East Islip (7-1), but secured the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Riverhead will face Walt Whitman (4-4) in the first round. Whitman finished tied in power rankings with West Babylon and received the higher seed.
Riverhead's seniors, accompanied by their parents, were honored before the game for the hard work and effort they have put forth in their time with the program. Coach Leif Shay, in a pregame speech, urged his seniors to "play with no regrets."
Quarterback Ryan Bitzer elaborated on it afterwards, saying: "You don't want to go out losing. In 15 years, you want to talk about how you won your senior game."
Bitzer made it known to potential playoff opponents that Riverhead can pass the ball with accuracy. Completing all eight of his passing attempts, he passed for 193 yards.
"I feel like I'm back to my old self," he said. "It comes easy when everything is going right."
Bitzer was involved in five touchdowns, including four passing. Three of those ended up in the hands of Quinn Funn, who amassed 163 yards on five catches.
"I wanted to have a breakout game because it was my senior game," said Funn.
Funn, utilizing his juke move to full effect, made defenders look silly, scoring on touchdowns catches of 25, 34 and 50 yards. He almost had a fourth touchdown as he dove toward the end zone following a 44-yard gain that ended up being spotted at the 1 yard line.
The 50-yard touchdown catch involved some in-the-moment communication between Funn and Bitzer. On a play that was supposed to be just a simple hitch, Bitzer made a hand motion, directing Funn to go deep. Because the route sucked in the cornerback, Funn made a dart at the end zone, eventually catching a clean, spiraled pass without a defender in sight.
The offensive line allowed the Blue Waves total freedom to do what they pleased. The linemen opened up gaping holes for Jeremiah Cheatom (100 yards on 19 carries) to run through and they didn't surrender a sack.
As much as the offense was clicking, it is hard to look past the effort made by the Blue Waves defense. In addition to leading the team with eight tackles, junior Jaron Greenidge scored a defensive touchdown. Walt Whitman halfback Nykwon Harrison had trouble securing a pitch, and before he got the bobbling under control, he was leveled by middle linebacker Mike Van Bommel and the ball popped free. Greenidge then picked up the ball before running it back 63 yards for a touchdown.
All eight of Walt Whitman's points came in the first quarter. "It didn't feel like they only scored eight points, they were really tough," said Van Bommel.
The Blue Waves came out in a 5-3 defense as opposed to the standard 4-4 they usually go with. They added an extra defensive lineman and took away one linebacker in an attempt to stop the run.
"It gave us the ability to stop the dive more efficiently," said outside linebacker Matt Hejmej.


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In a Black Press Media column posted last month, I touched on a number of factors that continue to support economic growth in B.C., of which the most important is a steadily expanding population.
Now, I turn to developments that are dampening growth and casting something of a cloud over the province's economic prospects in the next six to 12 months.
The first negative trend is sluggish consumer spending. Retail sales in B.C. were in negative territory through the first seven months of 2019. Adjusted for inflation and population growth, retail sales are even weaker.
Consumer spending is being weighed down by softer housing markets and the steep drop in auto sales. Record high levels of household debt are also causing some consumers to cut back on spending.
Turning to housing and real estate indicators, residential home sales have fallen markedly in the last year or so. Recently, however, lower interest rates and earlier price declines have improved affordability, with home sales moving higher.
Some market watchers believe the housing down-cycle is over. But the Ministry of Finance estimates that residential sales in 2019 will hover near 46,000, down from almost 74,000 two years ago.
At the same time, housing starts, which have been fairly strong so far this year, are poised to slump, in line with reduced demand from non-resident buyers and decisions by many B.C. developers to pull back from planned projects.
The provincial government predicts that housing starts will drop by more than one-fifth in 2020.
Dwindling residential investment will detract from aggregate economic growth. It will also work against the policy objective of enhanced affordability, which – among other things – requires an increased supply of new housing units.
The deteriorating global economy is another major worry. Slower growth in major external markets, including the U.S., China and Germany, is already beginning to pinch B.C.'s exports.
Through July, the value of provincial exports was down by three per cent from 2018 levels. The forest industry has suffered the biggest blow, with wood product exports sagging by around 20 per cent. There is little chance of a meaningful export recovery in 2020.
The rolling economic crisis in the forest sector is another significant negative in B.C.'s economic picture. Mills are closing and jobs are being lost across the province. Forestry provides one-third of B.C.'s merchandise exports.
The number one issue in forestry is the diminished supply of timber, which is pushing up fibre costs for B.C. sawmills even as North American lumber prices remain low. Higher log costs have led to increased stumpage levies, at a time when the industry cannot absorb rising government-imposed charges.
Logging and lumber companies are also struggling with complex First Nations issues and growing environmental and regulatory costs.
The footprint of the forest sector is set to contract as the industry consolidates in the face of a reduced timber supply. Unfortunately, provincial policies and the lack of attention being given to the long-term commercial heath of B.C.'s leading export industry is making the transition harder and more painful than necessary.
Finally, B.C.'s (and Canada's) waning overall competitiveness is another economic headwind, one that is especially evident in the natural resource and infrastructure industries and in key segments of manufacturing.
Many companies in these sectors are postponing capital investments and/or investing elsewhere. Rising taxes on business are part of the explanation, along with complex and increasingly costly government regulatory regimes that are making Canada and B.C. less attractive places to deploy capital.
Add it all up, and the Business Council has decided to mark down our B.C. economic outlook for 2019-20.
We now expect growth of less than two per cent this year, rising slightly in 2020 as work accelerates on LNG Canada's huge natural gas liquefaction plant and related marine terminal in Kitimat.
Job creation should continue, but at a noticeably slower pace than in the recent past. Government policy-makers and business decision-makers should get ready for a bumpy economic ride.
Jock Finlayson is executive vice president and chief policy officer of the Business Council of British Columbia
As published in Black Press.


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Rain breaks Midwest dought: Too late for corn, soybean crops?
| Chicago
Dry weather will return to the drought-stricken U.S. Midwest crop region, with corn and soybeans ending their growing season on a negative note after this week's rains proved to be too little too late, an agricultural meteorologist said Friday.
"There were some decent rains in central Illinois and west central Indiana yesterday, but it's too late for corn and too late for most of the bean crop," said Don Keeney, meteorologist for MDA EarthSat Weather.
The worst drought in more than 50 years through the heart of the summer growing season severely hurt the corn and soybean crops, slashing production and driving prices to record highs.
IN PICTURES: The 2012 drought
Rains now will help some of the later-maturing soybeans, mainly in the Northwest, but showers arrived too late to revive any of the corn crop, Keeney said.
From 1.0 to 1.5 inches of rain fell in the central Midwest on Thursday, with up to 2.5 inches in west central Indiana.
There has not been enough rain to end the historic drought, and now it appeared there would be a return to drier weather.
"It looks like a dry weekend and dry next week, there could be some rain in the last week of August," he said.
Cooler temperatures, with highs in the 70s to 80s degrees Fahrenheit, were forecast for most of the Midwest crop region.
The oppressive heat and dryness kept a tight grip on top farm states over the past week. Although there were a few improvements, some areas experienced more serious degradation, according to a weekly report from climate experts released on Thursday.
Rain provided some relief to parched farmland stretching from Iowa through Ohio, but other areas including the Southern and Central Plains remained scorched.
"This week we saw a decline in drought in the lower 48 states for the third week in a row, but the overall decline was small," said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist for the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska.
"Last week drought covered 62.46 percent of the area, and this week 61.77 percent was in drought," he said.
Fuchs said the weekly Drought Monitor released on Thursday showed a one-in-50-year drought was under way in the United States, and no significant letup was in sight from the devastating impact on crops and livestock.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) already has made deep cuts for this year's corn and soybean output as the drought spread through America's bread basket.
The agency said the 2012 corn crop would fall below 11.0 billion bushels for the first time in six years and the number of bushels yielded per acre was at a 17-year low. Soybean production was forecast at a five-year low and soy yield per acre at nearly a 10-year low.
But US Secretary of AgricultureTom Vilsack told Bloomberg that "The overall impact of the drought is beginning to decline." The uneven effects of the persistent dryness, which vary from farm to farm, make any crop predictions difficult, he said. "I'm not sure we know all we need to know to understand what's happening with this crop."
USDA will update its crop production data in early September.


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NC Woman Who Raised NY Baby Faces Kidnap Charges
A North Carolina woman who raised a child snatched from a New York hospital more than two decades ago was scheduled to appear Monday in federal court to face kidnapping charges.
Ann Pettway surrendered Sunday morning to the FBI and Bridgeport, Conn., police on a warrant from North Carolina, where she's on probation because of a conviction for attempted embezzlement, FBI supervisory special agent William Reiner said. She turned herself in days after a widely publicized reunion between the child she raised, now an adult, and her biological mother.
Carlina White was just 19 days old when her parents took her to Harlem Hospital in the middle of the night with a high fever. Joy White and Carl Tyson said a woman who looked like a nurse had comforted them. The couple left the hospital to rest, but their baby was missing when they went back. No suspects were identified.
Carlina is now 23 and has been living under the name Nejdra Nance in Connecticut and in the Atlanta area. She said she had long suspected Pettway wasn't her biological mother because she could never provide her with a birth certificate and because she didn't look like anyone else in Pettway's family.
She periodically checked the website of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and while looking through New York photos early this month found one that looked nearly identical to her own baby picture. She contacted Joy White through the center.
White and Nance met in New York before DNA tests were complete, confident they were mother and daughter. After the test results confirmed it Wednesday, Nance returned from Atlanta to be with White again.
Pettway remained in custody Sunday and couldn't be reached for comment. A woman who answered the phone at a Pettway relative's home in Bridgeport on Sunday refused to comment on her surrender.
Pettway received two years of probation last June after she took items from a store where she worked, which is considered embezzlement under North Carolina law, state correction spokeswoman Pamela Walker said. Under terms of her probation, she wasn't allowed to leave the state.
Department of Correction officials there tried repeatedly to contact her after finding out investigators wanted to question her in Carlina's 1987 abduction.
North Carolina officials said Friday they believed Pettway was on the run from authorities. They said Sunday they would seek her extradition.
This program aired on January 24, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.